Without regulation and inspection, ChatGPT threatens the consumer – 04/25/2023 – Maria Inês Dolci

Does ChatGPT, the online intelligent virtual assistant, threaten the consumer? It is quite possible that it does, at least in its current status, in which it answers questions by mixing truths (mined in databases) with false information, when it does not know part of the answer.

It is urgent for Senacon (National Consumer Secretariat), CGI.br (Brazilian Internet Management Committee) and the Three Powers to address this issue. Perhaps it was the case of creating a permanent mixed commission in the National Congress to discuss and evaluate the consequences of artificial intelligence in our daily lives.

This is not groundless fear or resistance to technology. Beuc (European Consumer Organization), which brings together 46 European consumer organizations from 32 countries, asked the consumer protection agencies of the European Community to investigate whether ChatGPT could cause harm to the consumer.

Now, if the responses of this virtual assistant can contain fake news, everything is possible in interactions in consumer relations. Or, even worse, if incorporated into customer service.

Nor do I get into issues such as the threat to the work of human beings as their capabilities are expanded. This is a huge risk and must be discussed with the whole of society – specialists, politicians, entities and class associations, etc.

Back to the consumer, young people, children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to risks such as misleading advertising and threats to privacy and data confidentiality.

Today, we already suffer from commercial harassment, through email, marketing, instant messaging on WhatsApp, personalized commercial banners on social networks (based on our searches for products and services on search engines), robocall (phone messages from sales using robots).

Just imagine if harassment methods were even more technologically advanced.

Obviously, I am not suggesting a Luddist action (a movement that took place in England at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, in which workers broke the machines that were seen as responsible for unemployment). Technological achievements are inevitable and, in many situations, contribute positively to the quality of life of most people.

What I propose is transparency in the implementation of these innovations, with a careful assessment of their risks and regulation, in order to reduce their possible negative consequences. Act preventively, like the European Consumers’ Organisation.

As technological innovations are daily, the laws and instruments to control their negative effects must be constantly updated and improved.

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